In the latest case of crypto theft targeting celebrities, Bill Murray is the victim.
During his NFT charity auction, the actor raised 119.2 ETH (about $185,000). Murray’s personal collection of non-fungible tokens, including two CryptoPunk NFTs, was also targeted by unknown hackers, Coindesk reports.
GoBankingRates reports that CryptoPunks can cost between $77,600 and $1.2 million in ether, the most sought-after NFTs.
It was the team of NFT consultancy firm Project Venkman that protected the “Groundhog Day” star’s virtual wallets. Despite their efforts, they were not able to keep the charity funds safe. Because cryptocurrency transactions are typically irreversible, they are difficult to recover.
In an effort to identify the thief, Murray’s team has filed a police report and is working with crypto analytics company Chainalysis.
The funds Murray was raising for Chive Charities have been replaced by $187,500 worth of ether donated by another Coinbase user.
How to protect your digital investments, including NFTs, and crypto?
The crypto market is not immune to theft and scams since “the new technology is still in its infancy and it takes time to uncover and address security gaps,” says Arad. It’s possible to protect your NFT investment if you’re interested in buying them.
As one of the top NFT marketplaces, OpenSea recommends two-factor authentication and a physical hardware wallet as well as a digital wallet. Moreover, never give out any personal or financial information to anyone.
NFTs’ values fluctuate unpredictably like those of cryptocurrencies. Crypto, NFT, and other speculative investments can earn you a profit, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll make money from them. Experts urge you not to invest more than you can afford to lose on your crypto, NFT, or other speculative investments.
